Confessions of a Part-Time Audiophile / CAF 2013: High Water Sound (updated!)

15 September 2017

"I’ve written many times about the audio wizardry of High Water Sound‘s Jeff Catalano. Ask around — this is one of the few rooms you can expect to hear something non-scripted. Something off the wall. Something like a first pressing, not-for-resale demo, of Dave Brubeck. Or an entire side of The Lotus Palace, by The Alan Lorber Orchestra. Jeff is pretty blasé about his record collection — but I’m not. It’s killer. And an excellent reason, by itself, to seek him out when he’s on the road.

The room here on the lobby floor was a bit of a challenge, but one well in hand by Saturday afternoon. Lots of plants, a shifting of speakers, and I was in my happy place. Or would have been if I hadn’t been all hopped up on doppio from the neighboring Starbucks. As it was, I was ready to pull my shirt over my head and start channeling my inner Beavis — each of the three times I swung by Jeff’s room. It’s not my fault. I have a weakness. Aaaaaack! I am the Great Cornholio! Ahem. Excuse me a moment. Anyway … yes, the sound here was very fine."